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Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

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Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then make it a generic image editor. What we have now is: an editor but for screenshots, an editor but for selfies, an editor but for cat photos, each with its own cloud storage which leaks (or spills) data once a year and which data is also being processed by the app owners in ways you’d be disgusted about. There’s a screenshot functionality in the OS and there’s a Share button which should work just as fine and be…

The shot->image-process->save->share cycle takes user time, and is an inconvenience that some people will even pay money to avoid. Since we're talking about screenshots, we're actually talking about typically, developers, tech writers and marketers who are automating their day-to-day workflow.

Shot - share to your fancy shmancy editor that puts a phone frame around it - put a frame around it - save somewhere.

Here, simplified that for you.

You can totally make an app that streamlines this and doesn’t cast doubts on its privacy hygiene at the same time.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#182
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The security policy that prevents you from taking screenshots. Bug or intended, it's the same functionality.

Any idea when it actually applies? Have you seen it in the wild? I don't recall having that message appear legitimately at any point but I guess it might be for corporate phones. Any Android devs know if it's something that any arbitrary app can turn on?

Try the Tesco Clubcard app. On taking a screenshot you will get a toast saying: "Can't take screenshot due to security policy".

This is what I'm referring to in my post above.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#183
post #3

Anyone else noticed that you can't take screenshots on Android when using Chrome Incognito mode? "Can't take screenshot due to security policy". I don't understand the rationale behind it. Why can't I take a screenshot of my own phone?

That is what is so nuts about this comment thread. People assume this is some illogical or nefarious decision by Google. Usually, these things are privacy related, or to prevent nefarious apps from capturing data without your permission.

Perhaps "Screen capture" should be in the permissions API instead of blocking it...

But for all the people complaining here, is there a legitimate app with this function that you use on a daily basis?

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#184
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> might not be available otherwise. Like how they stopped showing movies on TV once VCRs entered the market, or stopped playing music on the radio once home taping killed it. If only we had had DRM on radios and TVs back then, perhaps there would still be some entertainment industry left.

You are avoiding my point. Where is the user outrage over Netflix using DRM and blocking their rights to fair use. And if you don't like it, don't subscribe. Are you against companies being able to choose if to use DRM or not? Do you want to ban DRM? What about encryption, do you want to ban that too?

> You are avoiding my point.

I addressed your point directly. You claimed content might not be available otherwise (and that this is the reason consumers want DRM), I gave examples that showed that to be obviously false. And DRM is much more than just not banned - it's illegal to circumvent, thanks to DMCA.

> And if you don't like it, don't subscribe.

I don't. But you're still not happy - I guess you'd also like me to shut up about how bad DRM is for consumers, and allow you to spread your false claims how Netflix wouldn't exist without it, unchallenged?

> Are you against companies being able to choose if to use DRM or not? Do you want to ban DRM? What about encryption, do you want to ban that too?

So you agree that DRM is bad for consumers and society, you're just not sure how to fix it? Because that is the only reason you'd want to skip directly to arguing what should be done about it... unless you were hoping to make it seem like DRM is good by proposing some overreaching "solution", and make it look bad by association with an encryption ban. But that would be an incredibly dishonest and slimy way of arguing, so I'm sure that's not what you were going for!

For the record, no, I don't want to ban encryption. But if DRM continues to infringe upon people's rights (such as fair use, or even regular property rights, like when Amazon remotely deleted an e-book, or Sony disabled OtherOS on PS3, or HP disabled "unauthorized" ink with an update to already sold printers), a DRM ban could be warranted. Many types of contracts are already banned, but you think consumers should just bow their heads and take it while corporations lock away their rights behind DRM?

Do you believe the only choice consumers should have is whether to buy a product or not? They shouldn't advocate for consumer-protection legislation? They shouldn't even complain about anti-consumer practices, judging by how much my complaints bother you?

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#185

Signal app also has an option to disable screenshots on Android using this facility. I wonder what HN thinks about that: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360043469312-Sc...

If it's user-controlled, why would anyone object?

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#186
post #27

You can use scrcpy ( https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy ) to bypass the policy if you really need to have a screenshot. All you need is to have a Linux laptop at hand, debug mode enabled, and a USB cable plugged in. Super simple stuff right? (this is satire!) Now, I'm as frustrated as anybody else here that I'm forbidden to use whatever feature I want from MY phone, for which I paid, with MY MOENY (and nobody else'…

Linux phones!!! There’s still a lot of dev work to be done but this is exactly why I’m on board with the pinephone. not a daily driver yet, but if you’re a programmer looking for something to contribute to, go check it out

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#187

A bunch of comments here are assuming this is something intentional on Google's part. Simply from the error message alone, it's obvious that this is a bug. As well as from how easy the workaround is. Google might do many things wrong intentionally, but I see zero evidence this is one of them. Just a bug, folks.

This is a feature: FLAG_SECURE is real and used by many apps. i.e. Chrome's Incognito mode.

Sure, you have workarounds for power-users, but Google is locking the Android ecosystem progressively for regular users. Just like the Manifest v3 for Chrome.

Maybe Google is doing the "Embrace, extend, and extinguish" strategy that worked really well for Microsoft in the past.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All those highly paid, highly educated people really and truly believe this to be a solution?

Yes. Taking a photo with a separate device is reasonable evidence you're not breaking secure boot et al. If I understand correctly.

that can't be true because nothing would stop them from taking a screencap and then photoshopping it over a different picture

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#190

A bunch of comments here are assuming this is something intentional on Google's part. Simply from the error message alone, it's obvious that this is a bug. As well as from how easy the workaround is. Google might do many things wrong intentionally, but I see zero evidence this is one of them. Just a bug, folks.

This is a feature: FLAG_SECURE is real and used by many apps. i.e. Chrome's Incognito mode. Sure, you have workarounds for power-users, but Google is locking the Android ecosystem progressively for regular users. Just like the Manifest v3 for Chrome. Maybe Google is doing the "Embrace, extend, and extinguish" strategy that worked really well for Microsoft in the past.

Do you have any evidence for that?

The thread is about behavior caused by a presumably erroneous ".nomedia" file residing in certain users' screenshot folders.

The FLAG_SECURE feature doesn't appear to have anything to do with that. Two entirely separate things, unless you can show otherwise.

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